Joys Of Living

Picture of Lucas throwing

2010-04-04T10:05:00.000-04:00

Hiking to Annapolis Rock

2010-04-04T09:55:00.000-04:00

Hiked to the top of Annapolis Rock yesterday! They were rock climbers going down the mountain. I'm scared of heights and couldn't even get near the edge, but Michael went right up to it.

Here are the rock climbers. I believe they are nuts!

My Grandma's Recipes

2010-03-29T20:42:00.002-04:00

Check out my grandma's recipes!

http://grandmasrecipespot.blogspot.com/

Snow pictures!

2010-02-07T15:44:00.006-05:00

This is a picture of my car before we started digging out.

Now that we are dug out, the kids are playing!

This is a picture of Michael's back side! I just couldn't resist taking the picture...

Homemade Laundry Detergent - it's AWESOME!

2010-01-24T23:00:00.004-05:00

For several years, I've heard about home made laundry detergent. I don't like the chemicals that are in the products we purchase at the grocery store, but I wasn't sure I wanted to start making my own detergent. That sounded like an awful lot of work and I was worried I'd spend a lot of money gathering ingredients only to find out they didn't take way the smell in football jersies or basketball socks. Boy - was I wrong. I LOVE this stuff. It smells so good and works great! And - the cost is about 2-4 cents per load! WOW........................... If I buy the ingredients at the local high-end grocery store, the price is higher. But - I can find some ingredients at the dollar store, so that's where I buy most of it.

To give credit where credit is due, I got the recipe from here: JABS

1 bar of Ivory Soap.
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Washing Soda

The recipe calls for Fels-Naptha soap, which I guess is a laundry soap??? Although we had this brand at the store, I used Ivory. I buy Ivory by the case at the warehouse store because that's what I use in the shower, so that's what I had.

I wasn't sure about the Borax or Washing Soda, but I went to our local grocery store and they had both items! These items were in the laundry aisle near the stain fighters. They were at the bottom shelf, so they weren't easily seen at a quick glance.

The washing soda is an Arm and Hammer brand product, but it is NOT the same as baking soda. Make sure you don't substitute one for the other. They are not the same thing. If you are having trouble finding washing soda, call your local pool supply store and ask for soda ash. I'm told it's the same thing, but you will probably want to double-check first. Also - if you can call Arm and Hammer (google the company) they will gladly tell you what stores in your area stock washing soda.

So - here are the instructions:
Shave your bar of soap. I take a hand-held food grinder - the kind I use to grate lemon or lime rinds for recipes and grate the bar of soap. I can grate a whole bar of soap onto a plate in about 20 minutes while I'm watching TV. If you have a food processor, you can use this too. The whole idea is to get the bar of soap into tiny little pieces that will be easily dissolved.

Add the half cup of borax and the half cup of washing soda. Stir well.

Use about 2 Tablespoons per load, although if my load is small, I will use a little less.

The great thing is: no chemicals, no additives, no processing. Your clothes smell clean and look great, all for less money and healthier for you and your family.

Meet Pork Chop

2009-09-25T22:03:00.004-04:00

Pork Chop is here - and yes - that's his name! For tonight - he's in the dog cage in the garage, but boy - does he stink. The kids are working hard to get his pig pen ready by tomorrow and they've got a full day's worth of work to do. I think we're actually getting two pigs. One of Lucas' friends isn't allowed to keep a pig, so we're keeping it in our pen. BUT - they're supposed to share the work and take turns feeding and stuff. I just think that his friend's mom is smarter than me! LOL.

Here is a picture of Lucas and his friend Ethan putting in the posts for the pig pen.... Luckily - we had the woods behind our house cleared of old brush. They can put in a pig pen and I won't have to see it from the back porch!

High School Project!

2009-09-20T13:12:00.002-04:00

Lucas has joined Vo-Tech this year. He is still able to take all his pre-college classes but instead of taking chorus or band - he's decided to join in the Ag classes. I was fine with this. I had no problems with it. We live around a lot of farms and he loves helping out with hay and feeding and tinkering with the tractors, so it makes sense. UNTIL....... (ha ha)

I found out he has to do an Ag project this year. His project: raising a pig.....

In my backyard!!!!!!

He's starting to design the pig pen, the feeding trough and is even planning on making a little house to keep Porker (he's pre-named) out of the sun.

He's promised to feed him and water him and take care of him. I'm told I will have to do nothing, although I'm pretty sure I heard that before. The plan is - in December, Porker's going to auction. But - if it doesn't - we may be having a ham for Christmas..... ha ha

Tournament Results

2009-08-04T20:58:00.002-04:00

Sadly, we did not come in first in the Mt. Union tournament. But - we did come in third overall and played against some teams that were very, very good. I'm very proud of the Fulton County team - they just ROCKED!

These were Michael's last little league games ever. Next year, he wants to play in the jr. high team and may even try out for the travelling team. He went out on a high note - on his last time up to bad - he hit a home run. GOOD JOB Michael - we are very proud of you.

Football helmet fittings began Monday and we will be picking up uniforms this weekend.

On to our next sports season......................

We Won Again!!!

2009-07-26T20:33:00.003-04:00

In the McConnellsburg tournament, the Fulton County All Stars took first place again. Congratulations to the kids - you're doing a wonderful job. One more tournament left to go......

Congratulations Fulton County All Stars

2009-07-24T17:51:00.004-04:00

The Fulton County All Star Little League Team won the Mercersburg Tournament Championship. They went undeafeated throughout the tournament and won the champion 13-0 after their pitcher pitched a no-hitter. Congratulations to all! Two more tournaments left..... Keep up the hard work.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T12:25:00.002-04:00

Track Pictures

2009-05-01T21:10:00.006-04:00

Here's a picture of Lucas throwing shotput. His furthest throw has been 45' 7", which is really good for high school - especially a tenth grader.

I *LOVE* this picture! He's spinning around and throwing the discus. His feet are off the ground! His longest throw so far is 137'. At the last track meet, he threw a really off-center throw! He almost - yes - almost - hit a bright shiny red corvette!

At one of the track meets, he was asked to throw javelin for his team since a few kids were out. He did it, but had never even practiced throwing javelin before. When he was done, he came over to us - laughed and said - "I tried, but even the girls beat me!"

I like my pretend brake!

2009-04-22T12:38:00.002-04:00

Lucas is doing much better in his driving, but now he's mad at me. He's gotten a little more comfortable driving and now will speed up too fast or cut corners too sharply. I then have to slam on the pretend brakes located in the passenger footwell. Lucas thinks I use the fake brake way too often - LOL.

I tell him that many times it's either slam a fake brake or scream in abject terror, but he says he's not buying it.

By the time he gets his real license, I may have a hole stomped in the floor and my fingerprints permanently indented in the side door handle. No wonder parents of teenagers have gray hair.

First Fish in Trout Season

2009-04-20T15:01:00.002-04:00

Trout season started Saturday! The kids camped out at a nearby stream with their friends and the friends' parents. Michael was the first to catch a trout. He brought it home, but accidentally left it in the back of the truck with his fishing pole, so we threw it away this morning (it was kinda gross).

The driving is getting a LITTLE better

2009-03-22T18:19:00.002-04:00

Lucas is settling down a little - he's not bouncing off the walls like he was when he first got his permit. But - we've still got issues with stop signs. If he doesn't try to run right through them - he'll slow down to about 5 mph about 30 feet ahead of time. He'll creep closer, slow down a little, then creep even closer, then slow down a little, etc. until he actually gets there.

I don't even say anything, because I know this will go away as he gets more comfortable with driving.

He's also getting pretty good at staying in his own lane. Which is a WONDERFUL thing - especially when mom is in the car freaking out.

I know THIS for sure - DAD can be the one to take him on the interstate - I'll stick to back country roads.

I'm SO Scared - LOL

2009-03-20T20:27:00.003-04:00

A statement from today's terrifying drive home.....

I let Lucas drive home from track practice. He almost missed a stop sign today and you want to know what his excuse was?

"Oh Mom - I'm sorry - I was looking at that dog over there!"

My hands are cramped from clenching them, my eye is still twitching and I'm not sure I can handle six more months of this.

The Streets (AND SIDEWALKS) aren't safe anymore

2009-03-19T15:33:00.002-04:00

Oh NO! My 16 year son just passed his permit test. He's now allowed to drive. Beware the hormonally-challenged teen is behind the wheel.......

Mexican Style Chicken Dish

2009-03-02T13:48:00.003-05:00

We made this recipe last week and it was soooo good! Not only that - but it's high in protein and fiber as well as being low in fat.

Ingredients:
1 small onion - chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
About 1 1/2 to 2 pounds raw chicken - cut into bite sized cubes
1 tsp cumin (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 can black beans - rinsed and drained
1 cup chicken broth
About 8 ounces of salsa - we like the *HOT*
15 corn tortillas - cut into small strips
1 cup shredded cheese - like monterey jack or cheddar
Sour cream and additional salsa to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Sautee onion, garlic and chicken until chicken is cooked through. I added a little olive oil to the pan to prevent sticking.
Add in cumin, salt and pepper
Pour the chicken mixture into a dish, add the beans and set aside
Add broth and salsa to the pan and bring to a boil.
Let simmer for 5 minutes

Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.
Layer half the tortillas on the bottom of the pan.
Add half the chicken/bean mixture.
Layer the rest of the tortilla strips and then add remaining chicken.
Pour salsa/broth over the top of it all.
Top with cheese
Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Top with sour cream and salsa if desired.

Basketball Foul Shots

2009-01-18T19:22:00.003-05:00

Basketball has started. During the game, Michael (number 10) got fouled by the opposite team. He got two free shots. I was able to capture both shots - with the ball in the air. I kind of held my breath during both shots because he sometimes does really well and sometimes misses by a mile! Well - he made both shots! I was so excited and glad I got it caught on film.

Michael made a total of 8 points in the game, but they still didn't win. The other team was very good and just outplayed us.

Winter Storm Pictures

2009-01-18T19:14:00.004-05:00

We recently got a pretty decent winter storm. The temperature has been hovering near zero, so the ice and snow are staying. As we drove over the mountain, I noticed the ice and snow were just a little thicker, so we pulled over for a close up of the weeds on the side of the road.

In this picture, the ice is so heavy that the trees are literally bending over in half.

A ONE Dollar a year salary - so what????

2008-12-02T13:26:00.005-05:00

Automaker execs (from three companies) are now saying they will accept a $1 per year salary. So what? Big Deal! Who really cares?

Executives don't just get a salary - they get a big financial plan. Their financial compensation includes salary, bonuses, stock options, housing allowances, private planes, expense plans for food, vacations, etc.... Their salary is usually one of the *smaller* pieces of the total compensation package. So - they give it up for a year or so. I'll ask it again: "Who cares?" Not me. They'll still be getting plenty of money out of this deal if it goes through.

They want taxpayer money, but where is their responsibility for where their company currently is? It's nowhere -that's where. Sure - I understand they are not responsible for where the economy is right now, but a healthy company should be able to weather some economic downturns. So far - Toyota is. So far - Volkswagen is. Neither one of THEM is at their government's door asking for a handout. Other automobile companies made good decisions in the past 10 years and aren't in the position that GM, Chrysler and Ford are in. I think the CEO's of the "big three" are part of the problem and should not be part of the solution.

I say that if these automakers really need taxpayer money in order to survive, the company's stockholders should expect no less than a resignation from their top people.

The deer are out again!

2008-11-17T21:49:00.003-05:00

We've got deer again! They run through our back yard every morning and run through our side field every evening. It drives the dog absolutely crazy!

We also saw a bear a couple weeks ago. We just saw the tail end as it ran away from us, but it was still exciting (and just a tad scary).

Although bow hunting season is now going on, the real hunting season doesn't start for another week or two. When it does, we will hear shotgun blast after shotgun blast as people here stock their freezers with meat for the year.

It's starting to get COLD!

2008-11-15T22:45:00.002-05:00

It might even snow next week! Although I *LOVE* snow, I do miss the summer warmth as well. So - I thought I'd share a picture from our vacation this summer. This was from the beach and my son actually did catch some fish!

The phone is ringing off the hook!

2008-11-03T15:11:00.002-05:00

This is absolutely driving me nuts! I keep getting these recorded calls from the presidential candidates. Although we've gotten them in the past three weeks, I've already gotten six today and it's only midafternoon! It's not even a real person - it's some recording that says, "Hello Mike - this is Barack Obama (or John McCain)".

I'm not Mike and I certainly don't sound like him, but I guess the recording doesn't really care. And to be honest - no pre-recorded phone call message is going to change my mind about who to vote for.

I don't know what the candidates really think they're going to achieve since the only thing it achieves in me is a sense of aggravation.

Italian Style Meatball Recipe

2008-10-17T20:30:00.002-04:00

This is a great recipe for meatballs. My kids love them and I take the leftovers, slice or crumble them and put them on pizza! Yummy -

About 3 pounds ground meat (I use a mixture of beef and pork or beef and ground sausage)
2 eggs
1 good sized onion, chopped into tiny pieces (this really keeps themeat tender after cooking)
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped into tiny pieces
very small palmful of salt
pepper to taste
medium-sized palmful of grated parmesian cheese
a few dashes of worcestershire sauce or chili sauce
about 1 1/2 palmfuls of breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs (if you use italian style breadcrumbs, you add more flavor)

Mix everything together well with your hands. Make into balls and drop into some tomato sauce or tomato juice. I never use spaghetti sauce to cook them in because it's got too many other flavors - just plain sauce or tomato juice is good enough.

Cook at a medium temperature for about 3 hours and keep the lid on the pot between stirrings. This helps keep the steam in and if youfind that a medium temp might burn them, just turn down the heat a little. You can also crockpot them overnight.

When I serve it, I do heat up some spaghetti sauce separately and don't really use the juice I cooked the meatballs in.

I'm certified in PA

2008-10-16T14:49:00.003-04:00

This is not to be confused with certifiable - ha ha......

I finally got my PA emergency certification which allows me to substitute in the public schools. It almost took an act of congress because PA requires official training, in school training, approval by the school board, FBI finger print checks, child abuse clearances and state criminal records checks. Whew! It all takes some time, but I hope it's worth it.

I've also received my first phone call for substitution. It's not for a few weeks, but it's in the local high school substitution for the business classes. Should be fun! LOL.....

Photo Contest

2008-10-16T14:47:00.003-04:00

A good friend of mine takes terrific pictures - she has a great eye and the results are truly beautiful!

She's in a contest at winkflash.com! You can sign up for free and if you don't click the box, you won't get email filling up your inbox. Check out her pictures and vote for them!

Football Season Winding Down

2008-10-08T01:29:00.004-04:00

We played the Scotland School for Veterans Children. We did lose the game, but the patriotism from the Scotland children was overwhelming. I don't know if these kids simply have parents in the military, are orphans or something else, but the military forces presence was not only very obvious but a a pleasure to watch and participate with.

My oldest son and his team hasn't won a game so far. But - no one on the team is discouraged. They are a very young team with new coaches and new plays. Lucas told me that last year, they won half of their games because their coach's defensive philosophy was simpy to "HIT SOMEONE and knock them out". This year, they actually have a strategy. Their strategy is a little more complex than simply hitting someone, but does require an older, larger and heavier team. We're with them to the end, though.

GO ROCKETS!

My youngest son and his team are the newest teams in their league. Yet, they've won two games and may even be in the playoffs. They had only 3 players that ever played before, so most of the kids are newbies. One mother told me that she has three boys and a husband and only one bathroom. She told me that her kids are good at football simply because they're used to fighting over the bathroom every morning. She wakes to

the sounds of scuffling and position jockeying. ha ha ha...

I just got a paper this morning about basketball. Boy -the sports seasons never seem to end.

Limiting Executives Pay

2008-09-29T12:12:00.002-04:00

Update: Executive pay will be limited in the future. That's one good thing. What's not good is this: CNN states, "But the executives' current contracts, which may include golden parachutes, would still stand".

What's wrong with our congress-people? It's the CURRENT contracts which reward executives for bankrupting their company that's the problem. Sure - it's good to limit issues in the future, but if the taxpayers are supposed to pony up billions NOW - then let's limit compensation NOW.

Sheesh! It's time to vote lots of people out of congress and vote some in that will spend our money in a financially responsible way. This is ridiculous.

Financially Strapped WaMu CEO leaving with 18 MILLION after 3 weeks on the job????

2008-09-26T15:47:00.002-04:00

Here's a great example of the "golden parachute" - and the WaMu CEO has only been on the job 3 weeks! I want that job......

http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/26/news/companies/fishman_wamu/index.htm?postversion=2008092613

I think business packages need to tie CEO or C-level compensation to the overall health of the company. If the company is struggling, so should the c-level employees. If the company is doing well - then I'm all for sharing the wealth, so long as it's shared throughout the company. I don't even mind the c-level executives getting millions IF the company is thriving, employees are being hired and compensated well and stockholders are seeing their wealth grow.

But - a 3 week tenure and 18 million in compensation for it? Just the fact that it's possible is absolutely ridiculous. Are taxpayers going to have to fund that, too?

Congress Bailing out Businesses

2008-09-25T16:12:00.003-04:00

Congress today announced they have a bailout plan. On one hand - this is good news. My 401K may actually stabilize and do I dare hope - increase?

On the other hand, I'm not so sure this is a good thing.

I'm simplifying this, but here's some thoughts:
These banks are private businesses.
The employees of these banks (with management approval, of course) made loans to people with risky credit.
These people with risky credit defaulted and aren't paying back the loan
The banks are feeling the heat and don't have enough money
These businesses are now in serious financial trouble.
The government gives these private businesses that mismanaged their own finances OUR taxpayer money.

Does this really make sense? It may be best for the overall economy to stabilize these massive private banks, but if it is, what should happen to the bank executives? They are responsible for setting the policies that allowed sub-prime lending. They are responsible for making poor financial decisions.

I say we get rid of them and not pay them a penny for "golden parachute" clauses. Having an executive leave their position with millions in severance pay is ridiculous, especially since they ran these businesses into the ground.

What's really missing in this bailout plan is the repurcussion action. What actions do we need to take against those who are at fault? I'm not talking about the loan manager at the local branch - I'm talking about the strategic policy makers who set the line for what's accepted and what's not. They got us into this mess - they need to stand up and take responsibility, not our money.

My thoughts on this article: Parents Call For Coach's Firing After Sideline Confrontation

2008-09-15T20:13:00.002-04:00

I just read the story titled “Parents Call For Coach's Firing After Sideline Confrontation”. Are these parents kidding? Are they completely off their rocker? Or perhaps, from a cynical view, are they are setting themselves up for some shyster ambulance chaser to represent them in a lawsuit?

I can't figure it out. Perhaps they see their son’s bad (and possibly illegal) behavior as grounds to become the next Warren Central millionaires? Or maybe they believe their son is special and should be treated like a china doll even though he was considered old enough and tough enough to engage in football – a sport that could be compared to a controlled physical fight? These parents have a ridiculous expectation and one that goes a long way towards explaining why some children today have no idea what its like to take responsibility for their own actions.

The parents should be grateful that the coach stopped unacceptable behavior before it did get too far. The parents should be glad that their son was taught an invaluable lesson, which is this: Football may be a game which increases testosterone levels and fuels raw emotions, but responsibility and respectability must be behaviors which are observed at all times. Sure, the coach grabbed him. Sure, the coach pulled him to the bench. That’s part of being a football coach and he was fully within his rights when stopping a player from crossing the line from playing a game of football to engaging in an all out fight.

Don't get me wrong. There are boundaries for coaches as well. Coaches have to be the FIRST role model for responsible behavior. In this instance, the coach did not cross that line. He acted human. He acted angry towards a player for acting so foolishly. He acted embarrassed on behalf of his other players and the school. He acted like a football coach who refused to allow his players take a game where skill and physical ability are prized and turn it into a stupid little childish grudge match.

My advice to the school: Don’t be intimidated by these parents. Stand your ground.
My thoughts to the coach: Thanks. Thanks, for caring about these kids enough to stop a situation that could have gotten much worse. Thanks for benching the kid for the game. Maybe he’ll think twice before he punches another player after the play is done.
My words for the parents: Stop being stupid. If you really think you’re child is that fragile, pull him out of sports and wrap him up in bubble wrap and duct tape before he leaves the house. If you don’t want to do that, let him take the full brunt of his own actions. Because what you’re doing now isn’t doing him any favors.

Football Coaches Do Not Cancel Games

2008-09-12T17:31:00.002-04:00

It's been raining all day and without even thinking too much about it, I checked the high school website to see if the football game was cancelled due to weather. About noon - my caffeine kicked in and I realized what a tremendous waste of time my efforts were.

Football coaches do not cancel games! Baseball coaches will, track coaches will and all other kinds of normal individuals will. But - I've realized something over the years - football coaches are not normal. Quite frankly, they are nuts.

The first glimmer I had that football coaches didn't operate on the same playing field as the rest of us was about five years ago. Lucas was in a playoff game. It was scheduled for 8:00 pm on a cold November evening. It was about 45 degrees outside and it had been drizzling freezing rain for two days. And guess what? The game wasn't cancelled. It gets worse, though. Once the kids showed up, the coach gathered them all together and told them to go jump in the mud puddle and get as dirty as possible. My jaw dropped - it wasn't just muddy - it was FREEZING mud! They were going to be dripping mud before the practice even started! I gave a frantic look at the coach's wife. She returned this sad little headshake indicating that she really did try her best to domesticate the man, but when it came to football - it just didn't take. Outside of football, the man was a perfect gentleman and a genuine fun person.

They also don't think there's anything wrong with playing with major injuries either. If I ever heard a coach tell an injured player, "Get your behind back in the game. Your bone's not even sticking through the skin. Your sister could play better than you!", it wouldn't suprise me a bit. (OK - that's a *little* exaggeration there, but not by much!)

I think there's something inherent in football coaches that make it impossible for them to give in to any kind of challenge. First - it's the only outdoor sport I know of that is played into the winter. How many superbowls have we watched during snowstorms or freezing rain? Coaches LOVE that stuff. But, there's also an emotional aspect to it. It's a primal, raw, testosterone laden desire to not only kick the snot out of someone else, but when its done in less than prime conditions, you must get extra man-points or something.

I'm trying to procrastinate actually going outside right now. I really dread getting wet and cold, especially since I'm just getting over some bug my son gave me. Perhaps if I keep writing, they will all just leave without me and I can spend a quiet home tonight watching movies. Keep your fingers crossed. As for me - I'm sitting here praying that perhaps someday, some really smart scientist somewhere will come up with a pill to cure football coach insanity.

Cheer for number 57 (Twice!)

2008-08-31T10:52:00.005-04:00

Football has started!
We had our first football games this past weekend. Luckily for me, both my kids are number 57 even though they're on two separate teams. Lucas is number 57 on the left hand side of the picture - they just started playing the game.

Lucas plays for a neighboring high school since ours doesn't have football. This means driving him to practices every single day, waiting for him to get done, then driving him home. It gets tiresome - LOL.....

Unfortunately, we didn't win either game. The Rockets (Lucas' team) were playing against the number 3 seeded team in their division and I really think they held their own very well against a much better team. It was almost like watching David and Goliath play. The Rockets have a total of 28 kids on their team - 3 of which are seniors. The Blue Devils (the opponent) has about 70 kids on their team - 22 of which are seniors! I'm proud of the Rockets, even though I'm sure their coach will keep pushing them to do better and achieve more.

Here's Michael before his game started. He's on a brand new team in our county. As far as I know, this is the first pee wee football team in our county for more than twenty years. The Cowboys joined a league based in another county, so we have to drive more than an hour to get to their games, although our practices are right in town. This just may be a great start for getting a football team in our own high school (wouldn't that be great?)

They also played a very good team in their league. During the first half of the game, they seemed nervous and missed a lot of opportunities. During the second half, though - they really came into their own and played great! Many of these kids have never played before, although a few, like us, took their kids to leagues in other counties in order to let them play. I'm very proud of them as well.

Overall - we're off to a great start and are looking forward to the hectic, but rewarding, football season.

My Freelance Writer Site

2008-07-22T14:17:00.003-04:00

I have soft-launched my new freelance writer website and am so excited about how it looks. I still have a lot of work to do on it - adding content, keywords and more.

I used weebly.com to create the site and it's so easy. If you're looking for an easy to use web site creator for a basic web site, check them out. For my other sites, I have always used Microsoft's Office Live, but they wouldn't take my domain name because it has the word "bank" in it. Even thought it's part of my last name, they still won't take it because of fraudulent activities committed by others in the past. I think this is a horrible policy, especially since I've used them before and still do for www.mikebankscatering.com. Evidently, that got grandfathered in.

Feel free to check it out: www.lindajbanks.com

I LOVE this picture

2008-07-22T13:27:00.004-04:00

This is a picture of my father-in-law Charles and my nephew, Zachary taken some 15 years ago. I used some picture editing software to make it look like a watercolor, but I think it is so neat.

Charles is now in the hospital in ICU. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Recipe Box: Apple Butter

2008-07-15T16:16:00.003-04:00

Can also be found here: July 2008 Newsletter

Recipe Box –Apple Butter

Ingredients:
Apples, cooked until soft and strained – need 2 ½ quarts or 10 cups
5 cups white sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp allspice
½ cup lemon juice
1 qt apple cider

Directions:
Cook in oven at 350F for 3 or 4 hours or until thick stirring frequently.
Put in 7 pint jars.

Can be served with freshly baked bread, toast, bagels or crackers.

It also tastes wonderful as a side dish for most white meats and is especially delicious served warm on top of ice cream.

Football Training starts......

2008-06-27T13:23:00.004-04:00

Football training has started.... It's not practice so they're not doing plays or anything like that. They're conditioning - jumping over the green things on the ground, running around them, lifting weights, doing calisthenic exercises and stuff like that. Lucas is the one in the red shorts with black tank top.

I usually hang around during the two hours and will walk around the school or take the kids to the pool in the school. Since the summer has started, it's just beautiful outside.

Lucas love lifting weights and here is what he can currently lift:

Deadlift 305, Bench 225, Squat 250 and Powerclean 135

His coach wants him to go up 100 pounds in every lift in one month. He's up to the challenge, though.

Teach yourself some history

2008-06-24T11:58:00.004-04:00

I used to homeschool my children and because we're not wealthy, I would use as many high-quality free resources as possible. The other day, as I was doing some cleanup on my computer, I came across a huge list of Internet sites that I would use to help create the kids curriculum. Just for fun, I've listed the historical sites here. When I did the timeline I found out the median household income was $8,300 and I'm not even that old! I haven't caught up to my mom yet. LOL

History
Read about the Crusades. This was a time in history of great religious fighting. In fact, in the movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves with Kevin Costner, he actually has just come back to England from fighting Muslims, which is why it’s so unusual for him to bring Morgan Freeman (as Azeem) back with him.
This Country of Ours: This is a story all about America and how it was founded. It almost reads like a story book instead of a boring old history book. As you read, you can actually be transported back in time and feel like you are part of whatever place is being discussed.
Year by Year timeline. Go back and remind yourself what events happened when you were born, when your hubby was born or just pick a random year in history for fun.
The Oregon Trail Learn more about a journey from Oregon to California which occurred in 1846. Imagine yourself as a pilgrim watching out for Buffalo and different Indians. English History. Many Americans can trace their history back to England. If you’re interested, this site provides information for a timeline, some information regarding historical figures and political history in the 1700’s.

Black Squirrels in Ohio

2008-06-16T10:54:00.002-04:00

In Salem, Ohio, they have black squirrels, which is pretty strange. Most squirrels are grey in color, but these are not. They even stand still when you get close to them, so they're evidently used to humans. Here's a picture of one.

Happy 50th Anniversary!

2008-06-12T13:58:00.002-04:00

Happy 50th Anniversary to Charles and Marie.....

We enjoyed seeing you and spending the day with you in celebration.

Baseball Season is so much fun!

2008-06-04T22:38:00.003-04:00

Here are pictures of Michael at baseball. So far the team is doing pretty good - they're 5-4 and they've got a pretty young team overall. Their age group ranges from 9-12 and some of the teams they play have almost all 12 year olds. We have about four 9 year olds and some have never thrown a baseball before.

It's funny to watch the teams lined up against each other when half of our team has to look up at all the other players. Not Michael though - he's one of the taller ones.

Father's Day is only two weeks away!

2008-06-02T20:38:00.006-04:00

The June 2008 newsletter is out. Since I devoted May to Mother's Day quotes, I devoted June for Father's Day quotes. Here is my favorite:

By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong~~ Charles Wadsworth

Isn't this the truth?

You can find the entire newsletter here

Recipe Box –Lemon/Lime Drink Base
Ingredients:
3 limes
3 lemons
1 cup sugar
1 cup white rum or apple juice

Directions:
Slice lemons and limes
Add sugar and rum
Using a spoon, press on lemon and lime pieces to help release juices
Soak overnight in refrigerator

When ready to serve, add one spoonful of base per glass.

Then, choose any of the following options for finishing the drink:
1. Add ice cubes and water
2. Add carbonated water with mint sprigs
3. Add orange, berry or cranberry juice
4. Add a maraschino cherry with some ginger ale

Enjoy!

PIAA District 5 Track Meet

2008-05-19T17:58:00.004-04:00

Track is finally over. Lucas made districts for both shotput and discus. He was the only 9th grader out of all the schools to make it this far, so we're extremely proud of him for that.

What's amazing is that he also placed fourth in the shot competition. The third place winner, Robert, is also from his school and helped teach him how to throw properly.

Pictures of the deer

2008-05-12T12:25:00.003-04:00

Here are the deer pictures. They just browsed through our back yard as calmly as can be. As you can see, Opie is in the bottom left hand corner of the picture and is just going nuts trying to keep anything from coming into our year.

The deer just stopped and stared at Opie for a few minutes - they weren't scared and they didn't run away, so evidently his barking didn't bother them. I guess they showed him, huh?

I saw deer this morning

2008-05-07T11:25:00.003-04:00

My dog woke me up this morning. When the kids leave for school and the weather is nice, they put Opie outside on his chain. Anyway - he was just going nuts. He was barking like crazy, running around in circles and straining against his lead. So - I got up to see what was going on.

There were five deer right in my backyard! They were strolling through our yard and evidently the barking didn't bother them in the least. I ran back inside to get my camera, but I was too slow - they were gone when I got back outside.

I'm keeping an eye out and my camera's handy. I might have some pictures to share a little later on.

Recipe Box – Sweet Rolls (Kolachi)

2008-05-05T14:45:00.002-04:00

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan

*Click here for more of my favorite "MOM" quotes*

Don't forget Mother's Day on May 11th. These sweet rolls are a perfect addition to a breakfast in bed.

Recipe Box – Sweet Rolls (Kolachi)
Roll Ingredients:
1 pkg dry yeast
¼ cup lukewarm water
¾ cup scalded milk
1 egg
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
2 ½ to 3 cups flour

Dipping Mixture:
Melted Butter
¾ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Mix roll ingredients and let rise until double in bulk
Mix sugars and cinnamon for dipping mixture.
Break off a piece of dough at a time.
Dip into melted butter, then into dipping mixture.
Place in petal shapes on round pizza pan.
Let rise another 30 to 45 minutes
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes.
Frost when slightly warm.

Alaska's Best Kitchens Article

2008-05-01T22:32:00.004-04:00

I got my copy of the new issue of Alaska's Best Kitchens and my article is featured on the front cover. My article is the one that says - "How to Green-ify your Design."

The kitchens are beautiful in this magazine and I am envious. My kitchen's barely big enough to turn around in!

The Dog and I are on a Schedule

2008-04-15T20:48:00.005-04:00

About 5:00 every day, I get a call from my oldest son to pick him up from track practice. Opie, the dog, and I go to pick him up every day.

We always thought our dog wasn't too smart, but I may have to change my opinion. He seems to know exactly when my son calls to pick him up. The phone can ring during the day, and Opie ignores it. I can get up to go run errands and Opie ignores me. But - let the phone ring about 5:00 and Opie's instantly at the door, doing his little whine and plea for a ride in the car.

Luckily, we live in the country and I can drive slow through the back roads to the school. He sticks his head out the window and just thoroughly enjoys the ride. Because he's got those big floppy ears, his ears often flop up and he ends up looking like a bat.

What do you think?

Pictures from the Texas Trip

2008-04-10T19:46:00.013-04:00

Hubby and oldest son went on their annual trip to Paradise, Texas! They cater the meals for the North Texas Whip Club's April event. Some pictures are below!

The Cooks are taking a break.........................

AND ---- of course - no set of pictures are complete without one of a Texas Longhorn.

For those who have never been to Texas - here's some thoughts:

The normal spices for any food choice are: hot pepper flakes, Tabasco sauce, salt and ketchup
There may be four seasons, but they are all described with the word "Summer" - Almost summer, summer, was summer and colder than summer. Colder than summer is used to describe the cold snap that occurs in December when the weather drops below 70 degrees. It's time to start cookin chili and puttin' up the Christmas tree.
True Texans understand that Texas can do without the rest of the US. But the rest of the US couldn't - without great hurt and pain - do without Texas.
Texas is it's own country - it doesn't matter what the law says.
Boots and cowboy hats are appropriate church, wedding and funeral attire and are worn to show respect.
Texas chili DOES NOT contain beans. People at chili cookouts will laugh you out of the park as a know-nothin Yankee if you show up with beans in your chili.

Broccoli Salad

2008-04-01T11:21:00.003-04:00

April 2008 Catering Newsletter

My mom would make this all the time and it is so delicious. I make it now as well. It's amazing, but my kids are true fans of broccoli - not just in salad, but cooked, steamed or just raw as a snack.

Broccoli Salad
Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh broccoli, chopped into small pieces
1 small onion, chopped
½ pound bacon – fried crisp and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup white sugar
2 tbsp vinegar

Directions:
Mix broccoli, onion, bacon and cheese together
Mix together remaining ingredients in separate bowl and pour over salad
Let stand 3-4 hours before serving

Spring Sports have started!

2008-03-26T12:04:00.003-04:00

Track meets have started. My oldest son, Lucas, throws the shotput and discus. This is a picture of him getting ready to throw the discus. He threw 100 yards, which I thought was pretty good since this is his first year of competition and he's still learning. The *best* kid throwing discus on their team threw a 140 yesterday! WOW!!! He's really good and got first place.

You can't tell, but it was like 30 degrees yesterday and we were freezing cold. All the parents standing to the side were buttoned up tight in winter coats.

Tonight is the first baseball practice for my youngest son, Michael. There's been some changes on his team and with his coaches, so it will be interesting to see how they do this season. He's excited, though and ready to start.

My Silly Cat

2008-03-08T11:17:00.006-05:00

Somehow a ladybug got into our house yesterday and "settled" in near the ceiling. Our cat, Chuck Norris, jumped up on the ledge and sat looking up at the ladybug for more than 30 minutes. Even when I was getting the picture, he barely moved.

He didn't try to jump, which was good, because the other side of the ledge drops about a story down to the front hallway and if he lost his footing, he'd be one hurt cat. But - he sure wasn't going to miss the chance to get the ladybug should it move.

The ladybug isn't there this morning and I don't know if it got away or if Chuck finally got it.

Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings

2008-03-05T14:57:00.004-05:00

The March newsletter of our catering business is now out! In addition to a short "I want spring to get here"plea, I've also decided to add in a recipe for good old fashioned apple dumplings.

These are wonderful and sweet and ooh so tasty when served with ice cream or warm maple syrup. Yummy - I may just go apple shopping soon.

Recipe Box - Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups water
2 tbsp butter
2 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
scant 3/4 cup milk
apples - sliced small

Directions:
Make thing syrup by mixing sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, water and butter for 5 minutes
Keep warm
Cut shortening into sifted flour, baking powder and salt until fine as cornmeal. Stir in just enough milk to make soft dough.
Roll out on floured board to 1/4" thickness in rectangular form
Spread with melted butter, filled with apples
Sprinkle apples with sugar and cinamon
Roll as for a jelly roll and slice 3/4" thick
Place in large pan - pour syrup over apple roll slices
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until light brown on top.

Time Marches On

2008-03-04T22:33:00.003-05:00

Eeeek! I can't believe it's March already. Life has been so hectic at times that I can't believe that it's already 2008. I still remember all the Y2K panic as if it were last year.

Just last month, our oldest son turned 15. Less than a year to drive!Less than 3 years to leave for collegeLess than 3 years from being "draftable" into the military

As frustrating as teenagers can be, I'm not sure I'm ready for him to really grow up to be on his own. I can't imagine a home without him in it. I know I'm probably jumping the gun, but I can't help being the emotional sappy mother right now....

But - I still thought I'd share this beautiful picture to get ya'll ready for spring......

Beautiful COLD picture

2008-01-30T09:40:00.001-05:00

I went for a walk today at Cowans Gap State Park. The view was beautiful - the lake was frozen and the mountains were shrouded in clouds...... The cold is great because it makes me walk faster - LOL

Multiple Myeloma - Cancer of the Plasma Cell

2008-01-22T21:19:00.000-05:00

My father-in-law's cancer has come out of remission and he is now back on chemotherapy. He has multiple myeloma - a cancer of the plasma cell. It is a disease that can never be cured - at least not today! At best - it can be put into remission, but the chances of staying remission free for any length of time is slim to none.

Prayers are welcome! What's so sad is that many Americans can relate my family's situation. A whopping 23% of all deaths in the US are attributed to cancer, which is only second to heart disease. Unfortunately, the most current statistics state that 1 in 3 Americans will develop some type of cancer over their lifetime, with five year survival rates jumping from an average of 50% to 66% in about 20 years. ** So - at one time or another, we will all be touched with the disease, the treatment and the prayers for survival.

And - for anyone who wishes to actually put some sweat, tears or money into eradicating cancer - some good links are listed below:

The 3 Day Race for the Cure - Breast Cancer - Can YOU walk 60 miles in 3 days?? Absolutely! Get in shape, raise some money and share with your friends.

MD Anderson Cancer Center - A top-notch research hospital dedicated to putting themselves out of work due to lack of need. My husband was treated at the hospital in Houston many years ago for his cancer and I can state from experience exactly how wonderful these people are.

Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation: A great source of information for families with MM and an organization dedicated to finding a cure! I refer to them quite often.

American Cancer Society: A great place for information and one of the most well known organizations. They have programs that provide information on just about any topic, the most up to date research and have programs to help you find local resources and support groups.

* My statistics are from the American Cancer Society.

Thanks for prayers and thoughts....

My youngest child is driving me nuts!

2008-01-16T20:45:00.000-05:00

He's 10 years old and I love him dearly! He's been sick lately and has spent several days home with me. We're watching American Idol together just like we did last night. Some lady tried to emulate Janis Jopline and now he's singing "Oh Lord Won't You Buy Me A Mercedes Benz". No - he doesn't come close to being in tune. I think I could cry.

In the past three days, he's

Had hour long discussions with the dog about when to bare his teeth and when not to. The dog has fallen asleep on him
Nitpicked with me on whether the weather outside was in the 30's or 40's because 30's mean snow and 40's doesn't.
Asked me ten million questions and then told me my answer was wrong no matter what I said. Including why soda is not nutritious (per me) or has redeeming qualities (per him)
Dragged the cat around like a child and told me over and over again how the cat likes him best because he feeds the cat.
Dug into his 10 year old mushy brain for every question he's ever wanted to ask me and posed them in questions such as "Do you remember 7 years ago we were standing on the side of the road and that red car passed us and you said, 'that's cool?' - What were you talking about?"
Randomly pops out comments when we're alone and the TV is off. They are along the lines of "I thought it was supposed to go left" or "Hey - there was no plate there" leaving me to wonder just what in the world he's talking about.

My parental patience is about at its limit as my child is bored stiff and driving me absolutely crazy! I'm so glad his fever broke because I'm ready to break him - ha ha - just kidding. Actually - I was thinking of duct tape or super glue for the his mouth or pitching a tent in the backyard for me. I decided the tent gave me more options.

Woo Hoo - I got Published!!

2008-01-11T09:10:00.001-05:00

I got published in the Tea Room News. It's a really neat publication with some great artistic creations in it.

Check it out here: January 2008 Issue

Winter Doldrums????

2008-01-06T19:00:00.000-05:00

OK - Christmas and New Years are over and it's time to get back to the old grind... I can feel the winter doldrums settling in and so I've decided it's time for a vacation!

We love to ski and thought of going to Denver to visit my brother - we can go to Breckenridge to ski and visit family as well.

Bermuda is not too far from the east coast and rates aren't too bad. We've thought about some type of trip to Bermuda, but my youngest son says we can't go because the Bermuda triangle will get us! LOL.....

Baltimore is not too far for a car trip. I'm just not sure visiting the harbor in January or February is the way to go. It might be way too cold, but the hotel rates should be lower than during peak season.

I know there are plenty of other places around here, but I can't for the life of me figure out what they are. I just think we need to get away even if it's for a weekend. Someplace where the kids can wear themselves out with physical activity.......

Hmmmm- I'll have to think about this some more.

It's SNOWING!!!!

2007-12-05T15:20:00.001-05:00

Hey - I wanted to share a picture I took about an hour ago off of our back porch. It's our first snow of the season and so far - we've got about two feet. The kids got out of school early due to slick roads. They're now out sled riding and pelting each other with snowballs. Unfortunately - it's going to be in the 40's tomorrow, so it will all melt.

I also got a picture of my fake Chiweenie dog - Opie lol... He *hates* the camera and hides when I bring it out, but last night he was sleeping on my lap and I was able to sneak one in before he realized what I was doing.

Happy SNOW!

There once was a rooster named moose!

2007-12-01T15:18:00.000-05:00

OK - my kids talked me into creating a funny poem - so here goes:

There once was a rooster named moose
Who fell in love with a goose
He tried to propose but instead he just froze
And the poor little rooster just goosed her

Smiley Face

A picture should be worth a thousand words!

2007-11-28T20:23:00.000-05:00

I've made a life decision and wanted to share with everyone..... LOL

After a year of living in my new house with almost completely white walls, I've decided it's time to start hanging pictures. I like the sepia colors in the picture and since I had 10 5x7 and 2 8x10 black picture frames to play with, I finally sat down tonight to select just the right pictures. I scan all pictures, whether professionally done or snapped by a family member, so I have more than 300 pictures in my directory to choose from for only 12 pictures frames. As I was going through all the pictures, it's almost like I had an epiphany - are you ready for me to share it??? Here it is:

A picture is only worth the value of the story it tells...

For this reason, none of the pictures on my wall are "professionally" taken pictures, but are ones taken by family. However, they are meant to share - whether it be a feeling, a place, a time or a lesson, but it should leave the viewer wanting to share right back! I'd like to share two of these with you:

Here's me with my youngest son - yes - it was a long time ago - ha ha. He was not yet one month old. My mom took the picture and when I hung this one on the wall, my youngest said, "Hey - that's me!" I smiled - looked at him and said - "See - even at less than a month old - you were already talking back!" He smile - gave me a great big hug and said - "Yep - us kids are good at that."

Here's my oldest son at about the age of two. He was sitting on his great-grandpa's front porch. His great-grandpa's front porch spanned the length of the house and could seat a good 15-2o people. My brother-in-law took this picture when the front porch was filled - so at first glance - one saw a bunch of family talking to each other on the front porch of an aged Kentucky homestead. Details were hard to make out. However, when my brother-in-law had it developed, he saw that Lucas was doing something in the background, so he took the negative back to the store and had just that one tiny piece enlarged. This is what came out and as far as I'm concerned, is a great reminder to pay attention to the little things. Thanks to my brother-in-law David for his eagle-eye and picture taking skills.

Other pictures include a child *literally* climbing the wall, another one beautifully dressed in wedding clothes, but sporting a fresh black eye with his hair standing straight up, and another of both of them cooling themselves off from the hot Texas weather using buckets and a water hose - and yes - lol - they went in the buckets naked butt first!

So - to all professional photographers who specialize in beautiful staged pictures - the entire family sitting together with just the right coordinated clothes and in just the right setting and with just the right smiles, please feel free to go on with your work. There's certainly nothing wrong with this type of picture and many people find these types of pictures preferable - I'm just not among that number any more.

I want to remember our lives as they happened and for that reason, will keep buying disposable cameras and bringing my digital camera along. I might take 50 pictures to find just that one that really shows our lives, but if it helps us in sharing our own life stories, then it's worth the effort!

Donna - I miss You

2007-11-20T22:06:00.000-05:00

I see you hanging off the cliff
Your strength to hold is waning
Too many pounding waves - too many jagged edges
Your struggle is so obvious - yet the distance is so large

I would give all to grab you up
I would give all to give you strength
I would give all to stop despair
I would give all to always be there

You've been shattered way too often
You subsist from day to day
Your accomplishments you disregard
Your security is a complete illusion

I desperately want to make you hang on
I desperately want to repay your support
I desperately want to help build your life
I am desperate to shine your light

Never will you accept pity
Your tongue is a two-edged sword
You acerbic wit dares us to help
But once earned - your loyalty is a given

As I leave from our short visit
The tears roll down my face
My failure shouts jeers at me
My heart screams I'm way too late

I cannot grab you up
I cannot give you strength
I cannot stop despair
It is not enough to just be there

The loss of hope has won
Your body just gave up
The dance is over - the sun has set
I will never be able to repay the debt

If I just could have grabbed you up
if i could just have grabbed you up........................

Alzheimers and when to step in

2007-11-09T09:05:00.000-05:00

My grandmother's youngest sister (late 80's) wandered away from home late last week. She has alzheimers and although she lives with her husband, he also has physical issues so taking care of her is hard.

She was finally found outside of a family's garage in the neighborhood. She was missing her glasses and was bloody from head to toe. Nobody knows what happened to her. She's in the hospital and arrangements are being made to move her to an adult living facility.

My mom and I were talking about this and really started wondering when children should step in. Certainly, had anyone known it would have gotten this bad, family would have stepped in earlier, but it's hard to predict the future. I know the older adults in our family do not want to leave their homes and move into any type of care facility. We are independent and sometimes cranky about it - LOL........ However, we do tend to live pretty old - both my grandmothers are still living and they are in their 90's. So the question has to be raised.

So - how do we know when it's time to step in and take over for our parents and grandparents without taking away their dignity? I don't know that there's a truly good answer.

It's Friday night and the phone is ringing

2007-11-02T20:46:00.001-04:00

The phone never stops ringing, but I don't even attempt to get up to answer it. The calls are ALWAYS for my kids. They're making plans for this weekend and have to talk to about 100 people to figure anything out.

It's driving me nuts LOL

Dave Barry For President

2007-10-31T09:01:00.001-04:00

Yes - I know - this link is to Dave's Y2K presidential campaign. BTW - Dave - it's time to update this site for the 2008 presidential election. Don't just give us a link to the store or your Q &A, update your site and show the voters that you truly care. Notice - I didn't say who you cared about, just that you care!

The 2008 campaign is heating up. One candidate the mainstream media seems to ignore is Dave Barry. So -in the interest of fairness, I've jumped on the DB bandwagon and am here to help spread the message.

Some of the funniest links to Dave Barry's campaign information:

Where does Dave stand on Issues (Y2K)?
Information on Dave's Y2K press secretary
Dave's Updated Q&A Site
Barry Beer - something no other candidate can claim

Enjoy!

San Diego Evacuation - update

2007-10-25T12:49:00.001-04:00

I just heard back from my brother. They were allowed back in to their house. Luckily - their house was left intact - it requires a lot of cleaning, but they feel blessed not to have lost anything.

Here's a picture of their house. They took it Monday morning while they were evacuating. The sky is black with ash and the glow behind the house is the fire - not the rising sun. As they took this picture, they weren't sure if this was the last time they would see their house standing or not.

I'm glad to hear they are OK. However, others aren't so fortunate or truly don't know yet what the outcome will be. They still need our prayers.

Evacuation in San Diego

2007-10-23T11:29:00.000-04:00

My brother and his wife live in San Diego and are one of the families who have been evacuated. They are currently staying in a hotel with a neighbor of theirs to wait out the fires.

Right now, several houses within a mile of theirs has burned down and even if they are not hit, the cleanup will be horrendous! My brother, Ed, mentioned that his swimming pool was pitch black even before they left. Think of the clothes they left behind, the food in the cupboards, the walls and ventilation ducts.

They don't need anything in terms of material goods - but prayer for them to be safe and that they don't lose anything would absolutely help! And - don't forget everyone else who is in the same situation.....

I have a Silly Cat!!!

2007-10-05T12:52:00.000-04:00

I had to share these pictures. My son has a mesh laundry basket that's got a hole in it. Well - it's become Chuck's most favorite toy. He'll crawl in (usually after terrorizing the dog) and hide... If Opie the dog happens to pass by, he gets popped on the head by a lightening quick cat paw.

I kept trying to get his picture and he would only peek out at me, but once I stood up, he suddenly flipped over onto his back and stuck his head out the hole. I grabbed the phone and quickly snapped the picture, which is good because he retreated back in as soon as the flash went off.

Aren't silly cats fun?

JB ROCKETS WON!!!

2007-09-27T13:17:00.000-04:00

Sorry Maura! The James Buchanon Rockets beat Camp Hill last night 38 to 0!!!! It was great to see our team come together and really work as a team. This was their first win of the season and by having that huge of a win will do wonders for their confidence.

The past few practices where the coach worked on skills made a HUGE difference. It was like watching a totally different team play. The coach's reward was getting the water dumped on him after the game, but after first running away - he laughingly took the honor of getting soaked....

Congratulations to the team. I know they were super-excited and the emotions ran high for players, parents, coaches and cheerleaders.

GO ROCKETS!!!!

2007-09-20T13:29:00.000-04:00

School has started and so has football. The house is quiet again and I've been able to get more done during the day. The food magically stays in the 'frig during the day and I am able to keep a bottle of soda for more than 20 minutes before it disappears somewhere! LOL......

Unfortunately, I spend 3 nights per week at football practice and 2 additional days attending games. Of course - my kids don't practice at the same time, so I get there at 3:30 for the first one's practice and at 6:00 I move to my second one's practice. I'm usually there until about 8 or 8:30 and am bored silly by that time! I tried taking along my computer, but couldn't find an available network to login to and the satellite service is lousy.

So - I'm reading, doing crossword puzzles, talking to other parents and even volunteering at the ticket booth so I can harass the young kids coming to games! ha ha - it's fun - especially when I tell one he looks suspicious and I need to see some picture ID - this is especially good when I know they're not 16 yet. They know I'm a parent and look at me wondering if they should take me serious or not. The rent-a-cop and I get good laugh during admission time. Unfortunately, the kids are starting to recognize me and don't take us so seriously anymore. oh well - it was fun while it lasted. However, they now take notes about who we picked on and who we didn't. The ones that get picked on brag about it to their friends and seem to view it as a badge of honor.

Here are some pictures: This is Lucas (number 57). He plays center on offense and usually nose guard on defense. Here - he's waiting for the others to finish up the huddle and move in for the play. The team hasn't won any games yet, but they've got some good players with talent and skill. Unfortunately, many of these are first year players, so they're just now starting to play like a real team and getting the hang of working together.

Here is Michael: He's number 60 - again he plays center for the offensive team, but on defense he plays nose guard or tackle. He really, really wants to play tackle because he likes the thrill of knocking someone down, but his coach likes him in other spots. Their team is AWESOME! They have it together and have some good coaches who push them to do their best. They don't have to win - but they have to work hard. Then - they get rewarded for it.

One last picture for Jeff: Thanks for coming out and spending a week at our house. It looks like we overworked you, but at least you had company sneaking in a nap:

Unsolved Double Murder in 1975

2007-09-05T23:18:00.000-04:00

In going through the genealogy information for my own family, I found that my mother's cousin (her mother's sister's daughter) was murdered in 1975. How I found out was through a newspaper article my grandmother had copied into a book. Here's the story as I know it:

In early November of 1975, my mother's cousin - 37 year old Beverly A. (Morris) Withers was babysitting 4 year old Melanie Gargasz at the Gargasz house in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. Beverly, my mother's cousin, was married and had two daughters. Four year old Little Melanie had a at least a 12 year old sister and a schoolteacher mother.

When Melanie's mother, Marilyn, returned home in the early afternoon, she found both Beverly and Melanie dead, from multiple gunshot wounds to the head. According to the New Castle News report, no weapon was recovered from the scene, but the weapon was considered to be a small-caliber weapon. It has yet to be solved. To my knowledge, no one has been arrested - no one prosecuted and no one held accountable.

Although tempted to leave it alone - after all - I never knew this woman, I moved around a lot and can sometimes barely keep track of my own eyeglasses, I felt compelled to just find out what I could. After all - an innocent little four year old shot to death along with her babysitter, who is just about my own age, got me intrigued. I couldn't seem to stop it.

What I found out is that the Pennsylvania State Police have re-activated the case. Yes - it's still considered cold and yes, the chances that the murderer will be caught and punished are small based upon the percentages, I am still hopeful for a resolution.

The families of a perpetual 4 year old and 37 year old deserve no less.

I'm ready for school to start!

2007-08-08T10:45:00.000-04:00

I'm soooooo ready for school to start. My kids are driving me nuts! All day long, it's Mom - Can I.... Mom - six of my friends are coming over in ten minutes...... Mom - I'm making grilled cheese.... Mom - I burnt the grilled cheese.... Mom, can you turn off the smoke alarm... Mom, what do you get when you cross a blond with an elephant.... Mom, Knock Knock... Mom, what are you doing?..... Mom - watch this.... Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom etc... I can't even go to the bathroom without hearing, Mom - what are you doing (DUH!)?

As much as I've enjoyed being with them this summer, it never stops. I can't seem to get any calm and peaceful time this summer. Once someone calms down, someone else stirs it up. Of course - the dog and cat don't help. They jump right in the mix. They're constantly chasing each other or a child throughout the house.

Yesterday after another burnt grilled cheese incident, we opened the patio doors a little bit. The cat snuck in between the glass and the screen, crawled all the way to the top of the screen and got stuck. We kept hearing him meow loudly and after figuring out where the little scoundrel was, we had to figure out a way to open the door without hurting him and get his curious little behind off the screen!

I'm sure I will miss them once they are back in school, but right now, I dream of quiet time!

Starting a new business

2007-07-30T14:47:00.000-04:00

We've officially released our website for our catering business. You can preview it at http://www.mikebankscatering.com. We're working on advertising in the local papers and at the local chamber of commerce.

Keep us in your prayers.

Happy (Almost) Birthday to me!!!

2007-07-17T17:52:00.000-04:00

OK - tomorrow's my birthday. I will not pretend to be 29 again or wish for the "good old days." I firmly believe age is a blessing. It brings wisdom, courage and security for those who learn the lessons life present over time. Also - I think that for women, increased age brings some positive changes. We get to a point where we become so much more self-confident and have no problem prioritizing our lives based upon our needs. We no longer need the accolades of others to feel successful or secure. In addition, women start really saying what we feel. I've noticed older women don't beat around the bush quite as much. If we think you're doing something stupid, we'll tell you straight out. ha ha -

Perhaps - the teenagers of today will not have one inkling of understanding of the phases of life I'm going through. But - then again - life is much different for those growing up now than it was in the 70's and 80's.

So - are you ready?? I will be 38! Woo hoo.....

Summer Update

2007-07-01T19:39:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone!

The summer is off to a great start! I got the family tree done for hubby's family reunion - whew! That's a big relief to me, as it turned out to be a HUGE job. However, I found he's somewhat related to Pocohantas, which is really neat.

I've spent more time with the kids and have been enjoying the closeness we're feeling. We go to the state park once or twice a week, work in the garden together and generally just have either a ton of kids here in the house or I'm constantly ferrying kids from one house to another.

I realize that my oldest will be off to college in four years and my youngest in eight! I almost can't believe that time has gone by so quickly......

Oh well - back to the kids! Enjoy the summer.

L

Stay At Home Mom

2007-06-18T23:47:00.000-04:00

How come I feel guilty? I've decided to stay home. I'm working from home. And I put my kids first..... So - why is this feeling of guilt continuing to nag at me?

True - I'm not making money like I used to. True - I don't work as much as I used to. Yet - we're doing OK financially.

I've worked for years. And - for some reason, I feel guilty for making this choice. My head tells me I'm OK. My heart tells me I'm OK. But - something within my gut tells me I need to do more.

Any advice?

My kItten and My Leg

2007-06-13T22:39:00.000-04:00

LOL - My kitten, Chuck, has decided my legs are toys...

I can walk down the hall and without warning, find a kitty attacking my legs. Unfortunately, I freak out - start to jump and scream out loud! Which of course makes Chuck view my legs as playthings even more! I spent a good part of today just hiding from a little kitty...

How pathetic am I? What I'd really like to know is why my legs are the only ones the kitty wants to attack? Is it because, as the only female in the house, I paint my toenails? Or - is it just because my legs ROCK!!! ha ha

Update on the pets.....

2007-06-06T13:30:00.000-04:00

Both Opie the dog and Chuck the cat are getting along pretty well. They act like two year old toddlers at times - fighting over toys, chasing each other through the house and vying for attention - ha ha....

Here's some updated pictures with Lucas (my oldest son).

Melungeons in the family???

2007-05-31T09:28:00.000-04:00

I've been doing this ancestry project for my husband's family. I have most of the ancestors back to the 1800's and 1700's, but there were a few lines that I had SOOO much trouble getting documentation on. One of these was a woman named Martha Collins (born 1869).

I found out yesterday that someone else in the family did some extensive research and was able to show that Martha Collins was a melungeon! The melungeons were a mixed race group both feared and distrusted, often stigmatized as they were not quite white European and very isolated for a time. There is very little recorded information related to this group of people, but there are a few pieces of information that seem to be widely accepted. One is that this group had ancestry back to the Saponi Indians in the western region of Virginia and North Carolina as well as the Eastern regions of Kentucky and Tennessee. Another widely accepted thought is that the melungeon ancestors also came from Portugal and have Mediterranean ancestry. Although they had darker or olive-colored skin, their features were mostly considered white and they had bright blue or blue/green eyes. In the 1700 and 1800 census records, they are classified as either mulattos, free persons of color, black or white. Evidently, it was difficult to classify one "race" amongst this group of families.

It appears this group started with a Thomas Collins of Flat River Virginia in the 1700's. Some of the melungeons were part of the Trail of Tears, when Cherokee Indians were forced from their land in North Carolina and made to walk to Oklahoma. The human losses of these Cherokee were extremely high and the army that accompanied them were seemingly indifferent to the hardships. The history of this group of people was mostly oral and not written, so the stories that have passed down from generation to generation are pretty much all we've got from those early settler times.

From what I can tell, there is some theories that have not yet been proven correct or incorrect. One theory is that a pirate ship from Portugal either wrecked, threw some of its crew members overboard or had crew members desert the ship. These pirates or shipmates then mixed with the local Indians, among them the Saponi, but also other tribes including Cherokee. There is some speculation that Turkish invaders were also among the mix, but there is quite a bit of differing opinions on this subject. Another speculation is that among the Goin branch of the family, that some African or Creole blood is mixed in.

What is not questioned is that this subject is extremely controversial, from the original of the word melungeon to the family history and lineage. It also appears that melungeon used to be a derogatory term, but now everybody seems to be claiming the name! So - for all those who know much more about this subject than I do (which includes most people), I won't argue with your research or your findings. I'm just a newbie at this.

Until we know more, my kids are having fun walking around saying "Aye, Matey!" and squawking like a parrot. Whether factual or not, it brings laughter to the house, so I'm grateful for the little I do know. I will continue to research, but knowing there is some history for Martha Collins, makes me feel more connected with the past.

Thanks to Cousin Ben for his information. I appreciate you sharing the results of your hard work.

New Cat!

2007-05-17T19:54:00.000-04:00

OK - for all who didn't know, we *used* to have a cat named Smokey. During our move from Texas to Pennsylvania, my mother stole her from me. All I did was ask my parents to watch Smokey for a few weeks while we were moving because we didn't want to keep her in a cage for so long. I dropped her off one Saturday and went back the next weekend to visit since my parents had never had a cat before and were nervous about what to do. Just about the first words out of my mother's mouth were "You don't feed that cat right!" I walked into the living room and found that my mother purchased a small pet store - LOL. She bought toys, a cat brush, catnip, special food, cat scratchers and set up a special little chair so Smokey can look out the window. So - I gave up. Smokey stays with my parents and gets thoroughly spoiled. Here's a picture of the traitor - I mean - Smokey sleeping on my dad's lap.

Anyway - a few days ago, a friend of mine stopped by for lunch and told me of a story that happened the day before. She was driving home only to see a little golden kitten running across the road and in danger of being hit by the trucks passing by. She stopped and picked the kitty up and took him home. Unfortunately, they can't have cats in their house due to their rental agreement, so she offered him to me. I got a new kitty cat! His name is Chuck Norris and we think he's about 6-8 weeks old. I brought him home today and although Opie (our dog) and Chuck handled each other pretty well - Opie is out of sorts right now. He's not rough or mean, but it's driving him nuts having this little thing in our house. Word to My Mother: Hands off this cat!

Mother's Day

2007-05-14T10:32:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I drove to Ohio to visit with my mother, both of my grandmothers and some aunts, uncles and cousins! Although the trip was quick, it was great to see all of my family. Prior to moving to PA last year, we lived in TX for more than 8 years. I had a great career at a corporate level, the kids were happy and involved and our family was settled. What we missed is the family dynamics and sharing that can occur when one lives close to home.

The kids initially didn't want to move, but after visits like yesterday, we all realize how lucky we are to be close to the great family that we have. Although we are sometimes a little crazy, it was well worth the move to share in these important events.

My grandmother on my mother's side is 92 years old! My grandmother on my father's side will 90 next month. Had we stayed in Texas, we would have seen them only once every year or two. Life is too precious to keep putting off seeing family and by living closer to home, we have a better perspective on what makes a good life. It's not money, it's not career advancement and it's not stuff that we buy! It's being able to share with those who have given you life by sitting across the table, making eye contact and laughing.

Update on us!

2007-05-03T15:44:00.000-04:00

After much consideration, Mike and I have decided that I will be staying home and doing freelance work. I've worked in the corporate world for 13 years, but I have really gotten used to being home for the kids to go to school and being here when they come back! Of course - my peace and quiet is shattered once they walk in the door, but that's OK as well.

I enjoy the freelance writing and market research projects I'm doing and can envision myself doing this for years! In addition, I started a family tree project on my husband's grandparents and their entire family. It's very interesting to see how far his family tree goes back and stories I've been able to find about their ancestors. It turns out that one of their ancestors is reported to be Pocahantas' cousin! I'll be doing some more fact-checking on that, but so far it appears to be valid! I've been using www.ancestry.com for this project and absolutely love the site, but sometimes am overloaded with too much information.

Later!

Notre Dame Trip

2007-04-24T10:26:00.000-04:00

I spent the last few days at Notre Dame University in Indiana. I interviewed for a manager position there and the campus was beautiful! The people were laid back and so super nice. I stayed at the beautiful Morris Inn on campus Sunday night. When I got up in the morning, I asked the hotel clerk how to get to the IT building. What he told me is "Walk towards the new stadium, turn around until you see Jesus calling the touchdown, then turn right - you can't miss it!"

Believe it or not, the directions were perfect. There is a mural on the library with a picture of Jesus raising his hands towards heaven. Unfortunately, if you sit in the stadium and look over the one goalpost, that's exactly what you see. Not sure how well that was planned, but it's funny in a strange sort of way.

Anyway - I stopped at the bookstore on the way to the airport. I got my kids Notre Dame shirts. And DAD - if you are reading this, Lucas has already decided to wear his ND shirt next time we visit. He's hoping you'll pick on him and debate Penn State vs. ND.... LOL

Later!

Blue Angels Crash

2007-04-21T20:12:00.000-04:00

I've been so busy lately I haven't had a chance to read the news for a couple days. I just logged onto CNN.com and saw the news about the Blue Angels crash. I remember about 7 years ago, I took my little kids to see the Blue Angels in Fort Worth, TX. We drove up to the airfield, but couldn't even get close to the highway exit due to traffic. So - we passed the exit and saw cars parked on the side of the highway trying to watch it. We followed the pattern and found an open spot to park at. The kids got out and I leaned up against the car to watch. It was amazing. Even though I wasn't real close, I could easily watch all the maneuvers and was just astounded how close those airplans come to each other without crashing. My oldest son also got involved watching the planes - at least the fast ones that did turns. My 3 year old? fuhgettaboitit.... He was chasing grasshoppers in the grass, but he was happy and away from traffic so that was OK.

I really enjoyed the maneuvers the Blue Angels showed to us. Their skill and expertise has remained as one of my favorite memories from our time living in Texas. I'm just so sad that today all did not go well. My heart goes out to the pilots, their friends and their family.

I survived!

2007-04-12T23:20:00.000-04:00

OK - I survived the fourth grade trip, although I did have a headache when I got home - LOL. I had four kids in my group, including my son. 3 were boys, 1 was a girl, but she was a total tomboy and could probably beat me in a fight. She was a scrappy little thing. Overall - the ankle-biters did OK, but there were several times during the trip I prayed for valium and self-control. I did learn that no ten year old can actually shut up for any length of time. The noise level was tremendous!

To start off with, I rode the bus for an hour and a half to Harrisburg. On the way there, one little ten year old girl told me that she was so happy her mother broke up with the guy he was dating because he was a d***head! I was stunned, but very calmly looked at her and said, "Good to know!" It was the best response I could come up with on the spur of the moment. What do you say to that???

I got a picture of the kids with the Liberty Bell. What was funny is they had their heads pushed up inside the Liberty Bell. Not exactly picture of the year, but totally representative of the day we had. I actually really like that picture, but as I was taking it, wished I had a heavy metal object to strike against the side -- NOOO -- Just kidding, I banished that thought as soon as it turned up! ha ha

The kids were very good overall and we had lots of fun. Towards the end of the day, as they were giving each other piggy back rides in a museum filled with glass and antiques, one of the boys in the group leaned over to my son and said, "She kinda gets cranky without her coffee!". Kids that age have NO filter between the brain and mouth, nor do they have a volume control. He got the "evil eye" but no head thump from me! Filled with self-control, I smiled and calmly said, "it's time to go downstairs and play with the statue of Ben Franklin." Luckily, the statue is HUGE and the kids had a great time standing between his legs joking about getting peed on.

The best part was later that night when I thanked my son for letting me chaperone his group. I told him I really appreciated spending the time with him and for letting me meet his friends and classmates. He cuddled up next to me gave me a big hug. That was more than worth it.

Happy Birthday to my son

2007-04-08T23:16:00.000-04:00

Today is Easter, but it is also my youngest son's birthday. He's now 10 years old. A long time ago, I realized I have no more babies, but now thinking of my youngest being able to drive in 6 years, going to college in 8 years scares me. I can see his physical changes - he looks less like a boy and more like a man on am almost daily basis. Pretty soon - he'll be sprouting hair and his voice will be getting deeper.

He already is starting to like girls - or more accurately tells us that two girls like him. He says he knows the girls like him because they pick on him and hit him with pencils. LOL - too funny.

On the 11th, I get to chaperone the fourth grade field trip and one of the girls will be in my group. If I survive hanging out with the ankle-biters, I'll be sure to write about my experiences.

Happy Easter everyone and Happy Birthday to my Little Man!

Featured Writer!

2007-03-27T09:20:00.000-04:00

I'm a featured writer at helium today! If you go to the helium.com web page, scroll down, my Six Sigma article is on the bottom left! Check it out everyone!

First Paid Writing Job

2007-03-23T14:32:00.000-04:00

WooHoo! I got my first paid writing job. OK - it's 6 small articles and I won't make much money, but I'm so excited. I've loved writing and have always thought I did a pretty good job at it, but never pursued it as a money-making opportunity. I've always been too busy with little kids, building a career and going back to school to pursue anything personal on my own.

Even though I'm staying home through no design of my own, I feel this opportunity is turning out to really shape a new personal direction in my life. Perhaps it won't be a long-term money making venture, but the experience is certainly one I'm so glad didn't pass me by and I feel richer for it.

That's all for today!

Chiweenie - my dog

2007-03-15T13:45:00.000-04:00

Our dog's name is Opie. We got him as a puppy thinking he was a Chiweenie (half Chihuahua, half Dachsund)! However, we soon found out we were deceived. We now think he's a dachsund/jack russel mix and he looks like he's a little disconnected. Almost like two separate puzzles being put together in the same spot.

He barks at anything and has tons of attitude. One day - he started barking and freaking out at something on our back porch. We kept looking, but not seeing anything. When we got down to his level, we realized he was all excited about his own reflection! Sometimes we don't think he's too bright, but we enjoy him all the same.

Opie sleeps under the blankets at night. He just burrows in with our son. I don't know how he manages to sleep under the blankets but that's his preferred spot! Here is his picture.... isn't he cute?

New to blogging

2007-03-15T11:39:00.000-04:00

As a working mother who was laid off since December, my life has taken some major turns. Now that I have time, I'm bored! There's only so much TV that can be watched and with money being tight, there's not much else to do.

So - I decided to create a blog. As part of creating the blog, I've decided to start writing and looking for work-from-home jobs that will help bring in extra money while I look for full time employment. I've decided to keep this as real as possible and write about my family, my kids and my work.

Enjoy!